On 9 May 2013 a Supreme Court announced their ruling in connection with the rectification of trustees mistakes. Historically trustees have relied on the ‘Hastings-Bass’ principle, this allowed the Court to set aside a decision made by the trustees who had not properly considered all the relevant matters which should have been taken into … Continued
Nil rate Inheritance Tax band frozen until 2018
In the March 2013 Budget the government announced that the current nil rate band of £325,000 for Inheritance Tax will be frozen until 2018. The threshold has been frozen since 2010. Normally the threshold would increase each year in line with inflation, so freezing it, and for so long, means more families will … Continued
Limited partner national insurance contributions
Changes to business regulations happen at two common commencement dates – in April and October – each year. As well as the headline changes to redundancy consultation periods and employment tribunal procedures introduced this April, changes to national insurance contributions (NICs) for ‘sleeping and inactive’ limited partners have also been announced by HM Revenue & … Continued
Budget 2013 round-up
Chancellor George Osborne introduced Budget 2013 as one for an ‘aspiration nation’; for those who aspire to ‘own their own home, get their first job, or start their own business.’ Economic update As always, the Budget was delivered alongside the latest economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility, and the outlook looks decidedly tough. … Continued
Can you cancel a tax return to avoid a penalty?
From April 2013 HMRC will be allowed to cancel a tax return that’s been issued and any late filing penalties that go with it. But where do you stand if you’ve just missed the January 31 deadline? Tax return issues Whether or not you need to complete a tax return ought to be a straightforward … Continued
Tax deductible personal expenses
Payments you receive from your company are usually liable to income tax unless they are to reimburse you for business expenses you’ve paid personally. However, there’s an exception. What is this and how does it work? Business expenses You probably know that the basis rule for work-related expenses is that they are tax deductible where … Continued
Available to download now – Our 2013 budget summary and tax tables
BWMacfarlane 2013 Budget Summary 2013 Budget Summary If you would prefer a printed version, please contact us BWMacfarlane 2013/14 Tax Tables 2013/14 Tax Tables If you would prefer a printed version, please contact us.
Delay in Real Time Information reporting announced by HMRC
HMRC yesterday announced that they have agreed to delay the introduction of Real Time information (RTI) for employers with less than 50 employees. HMRC have said that they recognise that some small employees weekly, or more frequently, but who only process their payroll monthly may need longer to adapt to reporting PAYE information in real … Continued
Employer Responsibilities for Pensions ‘Auto Enrolment’
There are a number of fundamental changes being made to the responsibilities for employers generally, and in particular, in addition to the more onerous requirements of ‘real time information’, over the coming years employers will be required to automatically enrol eligible staff into a recognised pension scheme. For the largest employers the regulations have already … Continued
Autumn Statement 2012 – Update
Autumn Statement 2012 – Update Personal Tax The personal allowance for 2013/14 The personal allowance will be increased from £8,105 to £9,440 for those aged under 65. The increase in the personal allowance is larger than the amount previously announced and is part of the plan of the Coalition Government to ultimately raise the allowance … Continued